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The Heidelblog has been in publication since 2007. It is devoted to recovering the Reformed confession and to helping others discover Reformed theology, piety, and practice. Meet all the HB contributors»

Bob Godfrey: What’s Going On Right Now? Sex, Race, Politics, And Power (9) With Bonus Audio

Heidelblog

on February 9, 2022 | 1 Comment

In his next session, Bob Godfrey resumes his talks on what happened to Christendom and how the church should adapt to a post-Christian world. In this series Bob seeks to understand why this contemporary world seems so strange. In this session he . . . Continue reading →

The Reformation Was Not As Radical As You Think: Calvin And Virtue Ethics

Heidelblog

on February 7, 2022

There is a widely held perception today—shared by ethicists, historians of ethics, and theologians—that the Reformation inaugurated a sharp break from earlier forms of eudaimonist virtue ethics prevalent in the medieval period (Rehnman 2012, 473–75, 490; Herms 1982). The assumption that the . . . Continue reading →

Of Wickedness And Narratives

Heidelblog

on February 5, 2022

Narratives are funny things, but there’s a certain consistency to them from decade to decade, even from century to century. In the organizational world (including the visible church), those persons, departments, coalitions, or factions perceived as narrow, precise, and conservative are usually . . . Continue reading →

A Review Of Boot: Were “The Puritans” Theonomists?

Heidelblog

on February 3, 2022

The book under review attempts to engage culture effectively using the past, especially the puritans. In what follows I will evaluate whether The Mission of God: A Manifesto of Hope for Society, is successful in its appropriation of puritanism as an antidote . . . Continue reading →

A Brief History Of Secret Organizations In And Around The PCA

Heidelblog

on February 2, 2022 | 1 Comment

Every Christian ought to heed Paul’s warnings to “have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths” (1 Timothy 4:7) and not to be found in “quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.” (2 Corinthians 12:20). Thus, we must be especially . . . Continue reading →

Trueman: It Was Not Chrysostom’s Administration Of The Sacraments That Led To HIs Death

Heidelblog

on January 31, 2022

Years ago, when teaching at a seminary, I was responsible for the course on the ancient church. In every class I have ever taught, I have regarded it as my chief task to introduce students to the great primary texts on the . . . Continue reading →

What Was Jesus’ “Playlist”?

Heidelblog

on January 29, 2022 | 3 Comments

Last summer, my daughter walked into the Apple Store in our local mall, and came out the proud owner of a new iPhone 12 Pro. In those first hours of set-up, one of her first priorities – as any teen will tell . . . Continue reading →

Good News: Millennials Like Substantive Sermons

Heidelblog

on January 28, 2022

“And younger evangelicals are the ones most likely to want more in-depth teaching from their churches. Evangelicals under 40 are twice as likely as their seniors (39% to 20%) to want more substance from the pulpit.” Continue reading →

Trueman: What To Do With Dead Sinners Redux?

Heidelblog

on January 26, 2022 | 1 Comment

Cancel culture shows no signs of abatement. The Spectator in Britain ended the year speculating on whether comedy itself will now be a thing of the past. Cancel culture is incompatible with comedy and humor. Meanwhile, the venomous reactions to those who . . . Continue reading →

Engel v. Vitale (1962) Forbids Required Prayer In the Public Schools Including Social-Justice Chants To Aztec Gods

Critical Theory Is Not A Secular Theory

Heidelblog

on January 25, 2022 | 3 Comments

California public schools will no longer be teaching students Aztec and Yoruba prayers as part of the state’s Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum.1 Thomas More Society attorneys obtained a settlement on January 13, 2022, in a lawsuit brought by parents and the Californians . . . Continue reading →

Who Stopped Attending To The Due Use Of The Means Of Grace During Covid And Why

Heidelblog

on January 22, 2022

During his 21 years as lead pastor of Grace Church in Greenville, North Carolina, Mike Meshaw has seen many people come and go in the transient area that is home to East Carolina University. Before COVID-19 shut things down in March 2020, . . . Continue reading →

There Is More To The Parable Of The Good Samaritan Than It Might Seem

Heidelblog

on January 21, 2022 | 1 Comment

The parable of the Good Samaritan is generally understood to be an ethical teaching of Jesus that challenges us to love our neighbor better. Most teachings on the parable are moralistic, leaving the impression that the imperative to “go and do likewise” . . . Continue reading →

Pro-LGBTQ Strategy Within The Church: “Nobody Can Argue With Your Story”

Heidelblog

on January 20, 2022 | 18 Comments

To this end, one of the board members of A1B gave the audience a piece of advice: Do not use Scripture to convince your fellow CRC members of the beauty of full inclusion. Instead, rely on personal stories. “Everyone has a story,” . . . Continue reading →

A Brief But Important Quotation By Mr Murray On Romans 2:13

Heidelblog

on January 18, 2022 | 4 Comments

Philippi’s statement is worthy of quotation: “Whether or not there are such perfect ποιηται του νομου [doers of the law] the apostle does not say in this passage, but only opposes the true standard to the false standard of the Jews, that . . . Continue reading →

A Timely Reminder: James 2:24 Does Not Teach Justification Before God By Works

Heidelblog

on January 17, 2022 | 5 Comments

“You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”— James 2:24 It’s not uncommon to hear some people appeal to James 2:24 in order to argue that God saves people by faith plus works. In particular, some . . . Continue reading →

PCA Ruling Elder Brad Isbell On The Future Of The Overtures And The PCA GA

Heidelblog

on January 14, 2022 | 24 Comments

PCA Overture 37 will fail to receive the requisite two-thirds vote of the presbyteries to bring it before the 2022 PCA General Assembly for final approval. And Overture 23 (which, like 37, concerns same-sex-attracted church officers) will pass or fail by a . . . Continue reading →

The Main Purpose Of The ‘Rule Of Faith’ Is to Help Readers Identify Jesus As The One To Whom The Scriptures Point

Heidelblog

on January 12, 2022

Jesus Christ is not the solution to a puzzle, whether that solution is derived by means of a sophisticated homiletical method or a sophisticated hermeneutical method. Jesus Christ is God the Son in person. Someone, not something, is the central subject matter and scope of Scripture. Someone, not something, should be the central subject matter and scope of Christian preaching. Continue reading →

Warfield: A Christianity Without The Virgin Birth Is Christless Christianity

on January 7, 2022

I am, of course, well aware that this doctrine of redemption, and as well the doctrine of sin which underlies it, is nowadays scouted in wide circles. With that, however, I have no present concern. I cheerfully admit that to a “Christianity” . . . Continue reading →

Erick Read The End Of The Book

Eschatology Matters

Heidelblog

on January 6, 2022 | 8 Comments

Being nice or civil is now a sign of weakness. Having friends across the aisle is too. We can’t turn the other cheek or love our neighbors if they disagree with us. Loving our neighbors who are gay now means we have . . . Continue reading →

Religious Freedom Watch: Another Federal District Issues Stay In Favor Of SEALs V. Biden

Heidelblog

on January 4, 2022

Our nation asks the men and women in our military to serve, suffer, and sacrifice. But we do not ask them to lay aside their citizenry and give up the very rights they have sworn to protect.1 Every president since the signing . . . Continue reading →